Portable tape sealer



Nov. 8, 1949 w. c. MARSH PORTABLE TAPE` SEALER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 5, 1945 Nov., 8, 1949 w. c. MARSH 2,487,351

PORTABLE TAPE SEALER med Jan. s, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 8, 1949 PORTABLE TAPE SEALER Waltonv C. Marsh, Belleville, Ill., assignor to Marsh Stencil Machine Company, Belleville, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 5, 1945, Serial No. 571,522

8 Claims. (Cl. 216130) i This invention pertains to tape sealing devices of a portable type.

Under present methods of sealing boxes or cartons by means -of glued tape, a bench-.typel moistening device is used which supplies a length of moistened tape subsequently applied by the operator to the surface to be sealed. This method of Amoistening and applying the tape has several distinct disadvantages. In the rst place, the handling of the moistened tape bythe operator during a series of sealing operations deposits glue on his hands which require frequent washings for its removal. Furthermore, before the operator -takes the length of tape from the moistening device, he must first estimate its length and. cut the tape accordingly. Due to underand over-estimates, a great deal of Wasted tape results from this haphazard method. Also, several time-consuming operations are necessary in applying the tape, one of which is the unnecessary step of removing the tape from the moistening device and then applying it to the surface by hand. Possibly the greatest disadvantage resulting from this method, however, arises from the fact that, after the length of tape is removed from the moistening device and before it can be applied to the surface. the moistened glue dries in spots and an imperfect seal results. Furthermore, the cartons or boxes are oftentimes at a distance from the bench-type moistening apparatus, and, to prevent an exceptionally long drying period, it is necessary to move the cartons closer to the moistening device, which, of course, requires unnecessary handling of the article.

As a general aim of the present invention, it is desired to overcome the above difficulties, and this obiect is met by providing a portable tape sealing device which applies the moistened tape directly to the surface to be sealed.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a tape sealing device which has a glued tape supply source and a tape moistenin`g brush contained in a light, compact unit which is movableto apply the moistened tape directly to a surfaceto be sealed.v f f It is also an object of the invention'to provide .a casing for a portable tape sealing unit having an outlet adjacent its lowerfront corner posil 2 casing proper in a manner that the unit may be carried and also positioned for applying tape.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a casing for a portable tape sealing unit having a handle for carrying the lsame and a `an excessive amount of moistening fluid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a casing for a portable tape sealing unit having a front removable for/access to the working parts of the unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing for a portable tape sealing unit having a means associated therewith to press an applied tape against a surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the objects of the invention above stated, a tape supply reel has been mounted in a portable framework supporting a tape feeding roll and a moistening brush together with a shearing element in a manner such that the whole assembly, arranged as a unit, can be moved by a suitable handle to 'supply a moistened tape of any desired length to a surface. l A more comprehensive understanding of the invention, will be afforded from the following detailed `description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: v v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portable tape seal'- ing unit embodying the invention with sections broken away to show the arrangement nfjts parts;

Fig; 2 is a front elevational view of the device with parts brokenaway to show the shearing mechanism of the device;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view showing the various tape supply and feeding mechanisms of the device partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section showing in detail the arrangement of all parts of the device;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross vsection taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and showing in a plan view the arrangement of the fluid reservoir, the lower feed rolls and the moistening brush;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the tape shearing mechanism positioned at the end of its cut; j

Fig. '7 is a broken part of one of the guide plates 3 associated with the tape supply reel showing a mounting arrangement for the plate;

Fig 8 is a side elevation of the moistening brush; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic sketch showing the portable tape sealing device in a position with respect to a carton or box for applying a sealing tape thereto.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the frame I for the entire portable tape sealing unit is formed of two side plates II and II' which are joined together by suitable means and support a tape supply roll mount I2, a tape feeding mechanism I3, a shearing mechanism I4, and a tape moistening assembly I5. Also supported by the frame I0 is a pressure roller I6 which a surface.

The tape supply mount I2 comprises a metal stud I1 which is terminated at oneend by a knurled knob I8 and which has a threaded shank I9 for engagement with a threaded aperture 2I in the side plate I I. As this stud is screwed into position, its free end engages a bore 22 in a journal 23 of the side plateII. To prevent unwarranted unreeling of the tape roll, which is carried on this mount, a friction springv 24 is secured in a channel 25 in the stud. A surface of the spring 24 is urged against'the internal bore of the spool on which the tape roll is wound and holds the roll against movement other than by forced feeding of the tape.r A pair of guide plates 26 and 21 also forma part of the tape supply mechanism and each plate is supported in part by the stud I1. These plates, as viewed in Fig. 4, bracket the roll of tape and hold it in a position to guide it to the feed rolls 28 and 29. The feed roller 28 is secured to a rotatable shaft 3I by means of a setscrew 32 and, accordingly, rotates with the shaft upon rotation of the knurled knob 33 attached thereto. This roll also carries an elastic friction band 34 which bears against the tape and holds the same between it and the feed roller 29. Both the shaft 3| and a shaft 35 upon which the roller 29 is mounted are journaled for rotation in suitable journals provided in journal blocks forming parts of the side plates II and II'. A free space between the ends of the feed rollers 28 and 29 and the respective journals allows the channeled portions 36 (Fig. '7) of the guide plates 26 and 21 to pass over and engage the shafts 3I and 35. In this manner, the guide plates are supported on the stud I1,and the shaft 3I' andare movable against the end faces of different width feed rolls to adjust the supply reel to accommodate different widths of tape. These widths may range from one to four inches.

From the supply roll R, the free end of the tape is fed through the feed rolls 28 and 29 (Figs. l and 4) by turning the knob 33. This action passes the tapel to a moistening brush 31 where the glued side thereof is Imoistened.

The brush 31 is contained in a Well. or immersing tank, 38 which forms a part of a reservoir 39. reservoir by a filling tube 40 extending to the back of the unit for convenient accessibility and provided with a cap 42. The reservoir is soldered to a base plate 43 secured to the frame plates I I and I I' making it possible to remove the moistening device,I5 as a unit when it is desired to clean the brush or insert a new one. V

Proper construction of the brush 31 is important since it must present a moistened surface presses against the moistened tape to apply it to Moistening iiuid is admitted to the to the tape at all times and still prevent excessive fiuid discharge. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the brush comprises a mat of suitable bristles which is banded at its center by a strap 44. The bristles are bonded by a suitable medium, such as a lacquer cement, and supply the moistening fluid to the tape by capillary action. To seal the reservoir at the brush end, the metal strip 44 is fitted tightly into the well 38, and, in this manner, fluid from the reservoir 39 is continuously fed by contact to one end of the bristle mat and to the other end thereof by capillary attraction and gravity for application to the glued Vsurface of the tape. The brush itself, together with the strap 44, retains the fluid in thereservoir regardless of the position given to the sealing device.

In order that its blades will not become fouled with glue and also that the entire length of the tape may be moistened, the shearing device I4 is placed to the rear of the moistening brush 31. This device comprises a movable blade 45 which is pivoted to the side plate II by a, tensioning screw 46, and which cooperates with a xed blade 41 to perform the severing operation. The face of the side plate II at the pivot point is at a slight angle with the fixed blade 41, and a spring 46' urges the blade 45 against this face to maintain the latter at an angle against the fixed shear to insure positive cutting action. For moving the blade 45, a bent arm 48 is slidably and non-rotatably retained in two brackets 49 and 50. A button 5I is fitted to one end of the arm 48 and is conveniently located with respect to a handle 52 for gripping the device. Tbis button is depressed by the thumb at the end of an applying stroke to cut the tape.

The blade 45 is continuously held in a raised posiion by a tension spring 48' attached to the arm An extension 53 and 54, respectively, of the lside plates I I and II" forms a lip, or tape discharging, opening 55 from which the moistening tape is ejected. A guiding member 56 (Fig, 4) and a face plate 51 which serves to close the front of the frame are attached to lugs projecting inwardly from'each of the casing sections Il and II. The guiding member extends the width of the housing to hold the tape downwardly on the moistening brush and to guide the same through the opening 55 and underneath the pressure roller I6.

Operation The portable sealer is prepared for operation by first filling it with a roll of gummed tape. The stud I1 is removed from the plate to a point whcre a roll of tape may be inserted into the apparatus and then is returned to its operating position. The feeding roll 28 is turned by rotation ol' the knob 33 to carry the free end of the tape through the shearing blades 45 and 41, over the moistening brush 31, out of the discharge opening 55 and underneath the roller I6. When the free end of the moistened tape' 58 has been applied to the carton or box 59, as s hown in Fig. 9, the unit is moved in the direction of the arrow until the top surface of the carton 59 has been sealed and until a sufficient amount of tape for making the end seal has been fed from the machine. The button 5I is then depressed by the thumb and the tape is cut to the desired length. By means of the roller I6, the free end of the tape is then applied to the carton to complete the sealing operaion.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable tape sealing device, the combination of a tape roll mount, a frame supporting said mount and having a handle and a lip as a part thereof cooperative to feed said tape onto a surface to bev sealed, guiding plates supported on said mount in spaced substantially parallel relation for removably guiding the tape onto a surface, said plates extending forwardly beyond the Zone of a roll on the mount to guide tape toward said lip, a movable tape severing knife rearwardly of said lip, means located with respect to said handle for hand operation to move said knife to cut said tape at any desired point, and meansfor moistening said tape comprising a liquid reservoir and a sealed brush communicating with said reservoir to receive a continuous supply of moistening liquid.

2. In a portable tape sealing device, a moistening device comprising a reservoir having a closable opening for admitting iiuid to said reservoir, a brush immersing tank connected thereto and ari/elongated brush assembly mounted in said upper ends of said bristles being contactable by the glue side of a tape and the lower ends being disposed in said reservoir, means on the support to guide the tape from the support over vthe moistening means, and means on the support to cut the tape at a desired point.

6. A, lightweight, portable, sealing tape dispenser, including a support, formed of lightweight` material, a tape supply holding means on the support for holding a supply of tape to be dispensed, gripping means on the support by which it may be lifted by one hand, non-leakable moistening means on the support over which the tape may be drawn including a brush of upstanding bonded bristles and a reservoir, the upper ends of said bristles being contactable by the glue side of a tape and the lower ends being disposed immersing tank in a manner such as to present the'bristles thereof into contact with said uid and to close said immersing tank to prevent flow of fluid therefrom or from the reservoir other than that amount supplied to the bristles of said brush assembly as a moistening medium.

'3. In a portable tape sealing device having a fluid reservoir and an v'irnmersing tank connectable therewith, a moistening brush for immersion in said immersing tank comprising a plurality of bristles or hairs bonded together into a brush by a uniting medium, a metal band encircling said brush in a manner such as to present one end as a moistening surface and the other end thereof as a vfluid receiving surface, said band being engageable with the internal walls of said immersing tank to form a fluid seal.

desired point, said last-named means having an operating member projecting from the support adjacent the gripping means to be operable by the hand holding the gripping means.

5. A lightweight, portable, sealing tape dis- 4 penser, including a,y support, formed of lightweight material, a tape supply holding means on the support for holding a supply of tape to be dispensed, gripping means on the support by which it may be lifted by one hand, non-leakable moistening means on thesupport over which the tape may be drawn. including a brushv of up- `standing'bonded bristles and 'a reservoir, the

in said reservoir, and means on the support to guide the tape from the support over the moistening means.

'7. A lightweight, portable, sealing tape dispenser, including a support, formed of lightweight material, a tape supply holding means on the support for holding a supply of tape to be dispensed, gripping means on the support by which it may be lifted by one hand, non-leakable moistening means on the support over which the tape may be drawn including a brush of upstanding bonded bristles and a reservoir, the upper ends of said bristles being contactable by the glue side of a tape and the lower ends being disposed in said reservoir, means on the support .to guide the tape from the support over the moistening means, and means on the support to cut the tape at a desired point, said last-named means having an operating member projecting from the support adjacent the gripping means to be operable by the hand holding the gripping means.

8. A lightweight, portable, sealing tape dispenser, including a support, formed of lightweight material, a tape supply holding means on the support for holding a supply of tape to be dispensed, gripping means on the support by which it may be lifted by one hand, non-leakable moistening means on the support over` which the tape may be drawn, means on the support to guide the tape from the support over the moistening means, and means on the support to cut the tape at adesired point, said last-named means including a pivotally mounted blade and a reciprocable member connected thereto, said reciprocable member having an operating member projecting from the support adjacent the gripping means to be operable by the hand holding the gripping means.

WALTON C. MARSH.

REFERENCES CITED'.r

The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 508,682 Collins Nov. '14, 1893 @898,609 Simpson Sept. 15, 1908 ,1,019,719 Maynes Mar. 5, 1912 1,026,446 Kennedy May 14, 1912 1,919,415 Cogswell July 25, 1933 1,936,357 Geczy Nov. 21. 1933 2,285,507 Gilliam June 9, 1942 2,409,872 Krueger Oct. 22, 1946 

